Chapter 135: End-of-Year Stage (5)
The seniors couldn't help but love the cuteness of the adorable youngest—me. “Hyun-Woo, you are doing great!"
“Wow! More! More! More!" n0ve(l)bi(n.)co/m
“Shake it! Shake it!"
Perhaps because the dancers were all here, the atmosphere was buzzing with energy. But then, thinking about it, I actually was the main vocalist, not the main dancer.
At first, I felt like everyone was buzzing with energy except for me. However, as time went by, I found myself at the center of it all, slightly tipsy with excitement and owning the spotlight in the practice room. The seniors formed a circle around me and cheered me on enthusiastically. I knew this moment would become a playful topic for months once it aired on TV.
Embracing the moment, I let loose and moved to the rhythm as the seniors encouraged. The easiest way to blend in with them was by playing the role of the amiable, entertaining junior. In the vibrant atmosphere, any hint of shyness had vanished from me, replaced by pure, high-energy funness.
“Hahaha. Are you enjoying this?"
In the middle of this lively scene, Suh Ji-Hye, Justin, and his interpreter entered. Their arrival shifted the atmosphere, sparking concern about whether I was being hazed.
“You guys are not picking on the youngest, right?" they asked.
“No, not at all!" I said. Having anticipated that the hidden camera would change to a close-up of me, I quickly switched back to acting like Park Yoon-Chan and showed an awkward, embarrassed, yet incredibly endearing sheepishness.
‘How cute can the youngest member get?’ I silently praised myself, feeling at the top of my game. I was slowly but steadily breaking down barriers with the other idol members.
“As I said before, Justin will lead the choreography. Despite the language barrier, the dance practice would go smoothly, so don’t worry. Let's work hard for a flawless performance.”
“Okay!”
Suh Ji-Hye encouraged us and then left the room.
As Justin spoke, his words were translated for us. “Shall we start warming up?"
“Yep!”
The dance required high flexibility, so everyone started with simple wrist and ankle rotations, progressing to more intensive leg stretches and waist twists. I started modestly, just rotating my knees, watching everyone's serious expression.
“Need help with your warm-up, Hyun-Woo?" Lee Dong-Woo asked, coming over to press my upper body down.
“Huh?” My hands that were resting on my knees slipped, and my upper body bent further down while my legs stayed stretched.
I felt a sharp tug. "Senior... Se-, Senior..." I called out.
“Yeah? Is this hard for you?" Lee Dong-Woo asked in surprise. His surprise made sense, given that people in this group were typically much more flexible than the others.
“Ahh! Ouch!" It hurt more than I expected, so I couldn't help but yelp in pain. The seniors and Justin turned to see what was happening.
“Lee Dong-Woo, don't bully the youngest.”
“No, that’s not the problem. This dude is so stiff,” he replied.
“Anyway, we all take turns in the center, so let's give our youngest the chance to start." They seemed to understand that giving a slightly more significant role to the cute junior would make for a better picture.
“Uh... Really? Can I do that?" I rejoiced inwardly, determined to seize this opportunity and make a strong impression. My reaction was full of uncontrollable joy, which made the seniors laugh and pat me on the back.
As a newcomer who had to be mindful of the seniors, I had no choice but to secure a good position in the formation, even if it meant that I had to headbang nonstop.
Yoo Jeon-Hwa, who was standing in the center, pulled me to his position and moved to the side himself. Standing awkwardly among the seniors, I bit my lip and stared intently at the mirror. Soon enough, the practice resumed.
“Hyun-Woo will start with a solo dance, and he will make an entrance alone. Then, in sequence, Jeon-Hwa, Rain, Dong-Woo, and Min-Seong will take over."
“Take over? Does that mean each person comes in one at a time?" Rain asked.
After a brief conversation with Justin, the interpreter clarified, "No, everyone will have a solo dance. The stage is huge, so each area will have one person. Starting with Hyun-Woo's solo, each of you will follow in sequence."
The plan was as follows: starting with my solo, each member would present their dance. Following that, during Cho Min-Seong's solo, the rest of the members would move toward the main stage where Min-Seong was.
Then, the choreography would start with me in the center, and each member would take a turn in the center before transitioning to the second part. The stage layout facilitated this, as the number of members in the second part was significantly fewer, and each of them had a distinct characteristic.
Justin spoke in a serious tone, and the interpreter relayed his words. “Our rivals are not each other but the members of the second part. Let's work together in the first part to create an artistic stage."
“Okay!"
“Hyun-Woo, your solo is from zero to forty seconds of the video I sent you."
“Ah, I wondered why some parts suddenly felt different.”
I then started practicing my solo, which allowed my unique style to emerge more vividly than in group practice.
“Wow, our youngest is amazing!"
“I knew it from the competition. He is really good."
During the dance, I could hear the seniors' voices and the interpreter's as well. “Hyun-Woo's concept is madness. Make sure your facial expressions are spot on. There can be no clumsiness."
“Okay!"
Thankfully, I didn't have to sing. If this was a live performance, I would run out of energy before even starting the stage, considering the intensity of my movements and headbanging.
“Move a bit more flexibly, but don't lose your strength. Keep the heaviness that's unique to you Hyun-Woo."
There were many demands, but the practice paid off. I focused on maintaining my facial expressions and the dynamics of the dance, just as Justin instructed.
The forty seconds started to feel incredibly long...
“All right! That's good!"
Justin's satisfied applause signaled the end of my part.
